Diego Rivera

1886 - 1957 - Mexico​Murals

MONDAY - Rivera and murals

SLIDE ONE: A mural is an artwork painted or created on a wall, ceiling, or other big, permanent surface. The mural usually is designed to fit or complement the flat space where it’s placed. One of the world’s most famous muralists is Diego Rivera from Mexico.

Rivera mural inside the National Palace in Mexico.

SLIDE TWO: Rivera was one of our Artists of the Week last year. ​

mural by Rivera

SLIDE THREE: Rivera used fresco painting to create many murals inside and outside of buildings within Mexico that honor the Mexican people. Most of his murals reflect Mexican culture and history.

Detroit Institute of Art mural by Rivera

SLIDE FOUR: Rivera also painted murals in the United States and had a big influence on the art world. ​

SLIDE FIVE: Our artwork of the week is a mural by Rivera called the ​Great City of Tenochtitlan. Great City of Tenochtitlan depicts the busy marketplace of the ancient Aztec capital which was part of Mexico’s history.

YouTube video - Famous paintings of Diego Rivera (6:46 min.)

TUESDAY - Los Tres Grandes

Big Three of Mexican muralism: Siqueiros, Orozco, and Rivera

SLIDE ONE: In the 1920’s, an important art movement began -- The Mexican Mural Movement. Three muralists of that time are know as Los Tres Grandes, The Three Great Ones. They are Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco, and David Siqueiros.

Rivera mural

SLIDE TWO: Of the three, Rivera was the most traditional in his painting style. He focused on themes that centered around everyday life of Mexicans and the history of the country. ​

THURSDAY - Public murals

UNAM Library in mexico City begun in 1948

SLIDE ONE: During the period of Los Tres Grandes, many murals with social, political, or patriotic messages were painted on public buildings in Mexico. This tradition of painting murals on public buildings continues today in Mexico and spread to the United States. The photo shows a college library in Mexico City that is covered with a mosaic mural.

Tree of Life staircase mural in India by Magna Gupta

SLIDE TWO; Murals serve an important service in bringing art to everyone. The Tree of Life mural in an office building in India is the tallest and largest indoor staircase mural.

SLIDE THREE: Murals allow artists to show their art to a wide audience instead of just being viewed in a gallery, and cities benefit from the beauty of the art. This building covered by a mural is in Philadelphia, PA.

Mural by Sargent in Boston Public Library

SLIDE FOUR: Murals can be found in government buildings, schools, churches, and other public places. This mural in the Boston Public Library was done by John Singer Sargent, one of last year's Artists of the Week.

﻿SLIDE FIVE: Some murals are created to go inside a building. Many schools have murals, such as this mural in a Nebraska school which is made-up entirely with crayon sticks.

SLIDE SIX: Many murals are painted on the outside of buildings where anyone passing can see them. This mural is in London, England.

YouTube video - Philadelphia, the City of Murals (2:05 min.)

FRIDAY - Local murals

SLIDE ONE: During the Great Depression of the thirties, President Roosevelt’s New Deal program employed artists to paint murals in post offices. The plan gave artists work in a period when jobs were scarce and provided people with art they could relate to. ​

SLIDE THREE: Many American towns have sponsored artists to paint murals on sides of buildings, usually in their downtown area.

SLIDE FOUR: A former Weiner student, Lori Block, regularly paints murals for people in their homes and for businesses such as these scenes from a mural in a medical office in Jonesboro.

SLIDE FIVE: Meredith Malone has also painted murals for people. Weiner Elementary has a mural in its faculty lounge that was painted by Meredith and other Weiner school graduates, Sharon Edwards, and Carmen Pickle.